


Pawsitively Purrfect

by blackkat



Series: Gen Drabbles [9]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 20:23:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17189783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat
Summary: There's a cat in Tsunade's sake drawer.





	Pawsitively Purrfect

There's a cat in Tsunade's sake drawer.

She squints at it for a long moment, suspicious, but it just raises its head to squeak at her, then goes back to napping on her sake bottles. Tsunade was _intending_ to pull those bottles out, maybe imbibe a little while Shizune is off running errands, but instead she slowly, carefully slides the drawer most of the way shut, leaving just enough of a gap for the kitten to scramble out if it wants to.

“Cute,” she says dryly, to her office at large. Drags her gaze over the half-visible shadows of her guards, and fixes a long, narrow stare on the figure in a cat mask. “Sai, I can't even take care of _myself_.”

Sai slides out of the shadows to give her a smile. “Kakashi-senpai said caring for Mr. Ukki gave him the ability to care for himself,” he says. “And my books say animal companions are good for people who are lonely.”

“I'm not lonely,” Tsunade says, maybe a little cranky. She folds her arms over her chest, glaring at the boy who’s been following in Naruto's steps just a little too closely for her to resist that same flicker of warmth for him that she usually only gets for Naruto. She doesn’t _need_ a cat. She very definitely isn’t lonely. She’s _fine_.

“His name is Ramen,” Sai says cheerfully, apparently unaware of this. “Naruto named him.”

Ugh. Of course he did. Tsunade rubs at her forehead, and it definitely isn't a ploy to hide a smile. “There had better be cat food, cat litter, and at least one cat bed in my house when I get home,” she threatens.

Sai's smile is brilliant. Still unpracticed, a little awkward, but beautiful because it’s real, and Tsunade feels it like something in her chest giving way. “Of course, Hokage-sama,” he promises, and steps back into the shadows, pulling his mask back down.

Ramen, Tsunade thinks. Of _course_. But she opens the drawer again, just enough to see the sleepy pile of tabby fluff, and can't help but reach down to stroke a fingertip over the kitten’s head.


End file.
